


White and Crimson

by Brumeier



Series: Bite Sized Fic 2020 [59]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M, Prompt Fill, Wakes & Funerals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:48:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25675363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: LJ Comment Fic for Poem Titles prompt:Stargate Atlantis, Evan Lorne/Any (David Parrish preferred),"Delicate Cluster"(Walt Whitman)In which David has some time for reflection at a military funeral.
Relationships: Evan Lorne/Parrish
Series: Bite Sized Fic 2020 [59]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1610332
Comments: 11
Kudos: 23
Collections: Bite Sized Bits of Fic from 2020





	White and Crimson

It was a hot, humid day, the folding chair was uncomfortable, and the wreaths of flowers were wilting. David wished he didn’t have to be there, surrounded by grieving people he didn’t know. He would literally rather be anywhere else in the universe.

He couldn’t stop looking at the coffin, draped with an American flag.

There were plenty of men and women in uniform seating among the mourners, and others standing by do the gun salute thing once the funeral was over. David hated that part, it always made him jump.

Evan reached over and took hold of David’s hand. He was one of the men in uniform, come to the funeral of a fallen comrade.

“It’s almost over,” Evan murmured, leaning close.

He gave David a little smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. The man being buried – Lieutenant Colonel Falcon Webber – had been a childhood friend of Evan’s, from back on the commune. They’d joined the Air Force at the same time, went through the Academy together. David had never met Falcon. But he was important to Evan, and Evan was important to David, so he was there to offer moral support.

The most difficult part of the proceedings was watching the flag be removed and very neatly folded into a triangle, which was presented to Falcon’s widow.

David could well imagine being in her place. Life in Pegasus was dangerous, even now, and he recalled vividly ever near-miss Evan ever had. Would there be such a ceremony for Evan one day? Would David be handed a flag that was meant to symbolize everything Evan had given for his country?

If declassification never happened, no-one would know everything Evan and the rest of the expedition had done for planet Earth and everyone on it. They’d never know how brave Evan was, how selfless. That flag would never be able to encompass Evan’s humanity, his kindness, his power with both a paintbrush and a whisk, his ability to chase the nightmares away with a touch and a murmured word.

The guns fired, making David flinch, and then the ceremony was over. Everyone would go back to Falcon’s mother’s house for food and to share their stories of Falcon. David would be shy and awkward, as he always was, and Evan would make sure to include him in conversations, as he always did.

“We don’t have to go,” Evan said as people started drifting toward the parking lot. “We can go back to Mom’s instead.”

David leaned in for a quick kiss. “No. It’s important for you to go. Besides, I’ve had a hankering for some casserole.”

Evan grinned, and this time he meant it. “Forget-me-not.”

It was their special code for _I love you_ , in the language of flowers. David stole another kiss, and then they walked out of the cemetery together, hand-in-hand.

David hoped like hell he never lived to see that flag passed to him.

**Author's Note:**

>  **AN:** Title is a line from the prompted poem, which is about the American flag. Originally this was going to be Evan’s funeral, but I just couldn’t do it.


End file.
